True Blood Season 7, Episode 4 Recap: Showdown at Fangtasia

Believe it or not, the wait is finally over: True Blood's seventh and final (!!!) season is now under way. Tune in each week as we recap and discuss the last chapter in the story of our favorite Bon Temps residents.

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of True Blood, including last night’s Season 7, Episode 4, “Death Is Not the End.” Enjoy!

I’m still grieving over the loss at the end of last week’s episode. (If you missed that recap, the comment section may help you deal with—or at least vent about—the show’s most recent casualty.) However, we have to move forward. This is the final season and, just a handful of episodes in, it has become very clear that no one is safe.

So, let’s focus on the good. Eric is back and has a mission (killing Sarah Newlin). They show has gone flashback heavy, but that means flashback sex scenes. Lafayette continues to be the most awesome guy and we’re ‘shipping him and James so hard.

So, let’s cross our fingers that things are about to take a turn for the better­—or at least gets super quote-worthy—as we dive into the highlights from season 7, episode 4, “Death is Not the End.”

HIGHLIGHTS

The show opens with the Stackhouse siblings placing calls to family of those who died in the last episode—Alcide and Maxine Fortenberry. Jason’s call to Hoyt—who works in Alaska?—is so awkward and sad.

I’m glad to hear Alcide’s dad tell Sookie how much Alcide loved her. Or as he put it: “He loved the fuck out of you.” As a viewer I’m still bitter about her conversation with Bill from last episode. Obviously.

Eric is behaving more like himself. Though, instead of going straight to finding Sarah Newlin, he wants to get Willa. Pam tries to override that, but Eric does care about his progeny…at least now that he’s back to caring about anything. Hey, progress is progress.

Another ‘80s flashback! Eric’s clothes are awful again, but Pam still looks fierce. We discovered that the move to Shreveport and opening Fangtasia was punishment from the Authority. The original business was a video store and it includes one heck of a porno basement. Based on the sex scenes that have happened in that basement? Appropriate.

Sookie scored some points with this viewer for her chat with Coby and Lisa. Also, it’s nice that TV Arlene didn’t have to take the turn book Arlene took. Sookie can use all the friends she can get.

Sookie forgets that every time she’s helped someone recovery memories, it ends badly. See: Longshadow and Eggs. However, they need Arlene back, so she’s determined to help Holly remember where they were being held. I really hope this doesn’t mean Holly has to die.

Jessica is refusing to eat. The rift between she and James is getting worse. He goes to get Bill to get Jessica to feed. She hasn’t eaten since she killed the faerie girls. Sookie shows up and, of course, offers to feed her.

Only then she becomes callous Sookie, something I never thought I’d see. I understand she wants to help her friends, but she lists off how many people have died and then tells Jessica she’s dead and that she doesn’t give a fuck about her problems. Wow, Sook. Based on her treatment of Holly and Jessica, I don’t think the Fangastia mission is about saving Arlene, but assuaging Sookie’s guilt over vampires being in Bon Temps. Her character deserves better than this.

Flashback to 1996 at the video store. Okay, seeing '90s Ginger almost makes up for my anger at Sookie in the previous scene. Especially that Ginger is looking for specific vampire films.

GINGER’S REACTION TO SEEING ERIC FOR THE FIRST TIME IS THE BEST THING EVER. It’s also kind of how I feel every time I see Alexander Skarsgard shirtless.

Why would Sam tell one of the vigilantes where the kidnapped people are being held? I understand wanting to calm Rosie as you tell her that her husband has died, but why would you share the details of the plan with her? It’s bound to get ruined by her vigilante buddies. I know Jason isn’t the brightest, but Sam should have known better.

When Bill says he’s rallying vampires because he owes Sookie everything, her answer is to let him feed from her. Her boyfriend died the night before, and she’s now all for letting Bill feed from her neck. Well, at least one couple will get an HEA, I guess.

Lafayette is amazing. He understands people better than most on this show, and the way he helps Jessica is just another bright moment. He is so brutally honest, and emotionally exposed. Nelsan Ellis really is a talent.

In the 2006 Flashback, we see Ginger delivering the throne chair to the video store. It turns out Fangtasia—both the bar and the name—was Ginger’s idea. Pam steals the idea, though, and erases the memory from Ginger.

In present day, Pam tells Eric the truth on their flight back to Louisiana.

Eric and Pam arrive at Bill’s house just as they’re about to leave for Fangtasia. Eric taunts Bill, but the focus is all on Eric’s Hep-V. Sookie and Eric embrace, and he forgets his mission to kill Sarah Newlin and almost forgets about Willa.

Eric and Sookie have a nice heart-to-heart. It was good to see her be honest (and a little more like the old Sook), and Eric to be soft (and a little snarky about the werewolf news).

Pam and Eric tell everyone about the secret tunnel into Fangtasia. It’s odd they never used it before, especially when dealing with the Authority, but oooooookay. Sam sneaks in as a rat, to find Nicole, Arlene and Jane still alive. He asks them to be cool about the vampires about to enter the same way.

By the time Pam and Bill get there, the Hep-V vampires have already taken Arlene upstairs to feed on her.

Pam tries to give Bill advice about Sookie, namely that it’s never going to happen. She didn’t see them together last week, though.

Eric brings Sookie with him into the bar. She even says she’s his.

…and as expected vigilantes are en route with Molotov cocktails. They light up the bar right as Bill & Co. are about to take out the Hep-V vampires.

Pam extinguishes the fire, and then stops anyone from continuing such shenanigans. Pam continues to be awesome.

Sookie cradles Arlene as she starts to fade from blood loss. Eric has gone to find a healthy vampire to feed her, but we can hear Arlene’s thoughts and Terry is calling her. One of the vampires feeds her, though, and we see Terry telling her to stay and be happy.

They killed all the Hep-V vampires from Fangtasia, but that can’t be the end of that problem.

NUDITY INDEX

Very little nudity this episode, but we did get a little shirtless Sam in the way of post-shift nudity.

FAVORITE QUOTES

The Magister: “This place smells like piss and shit and bad hair dye.”

Pam: “Ginger, look at yourself and then look at me. Who has better taste?”

Ginger: “Eric Northman is nothing if it’s not pure fucking sex on a throne.”

Eric to Bill: “Pam tells me you wrote a book in which you claim not to be an asshole anymore.”

While Chelsea Mueller runs Vampire Book Club, she won’t turn down a sexy werewolf, demon or faerie. Her appreciation of Alexander Skarsgard is well documented. Bother her on Twitter — @ChelseaVBC — she likes it.

I am so done with Sookie.
Eric and Pam were awesome. Especially Pam glamoring Ginger and stealing her plan. Heehehhe...
Alex, causing skargasms and heart palpitations since 2008. In any outfit. :P
Dear Hoyt...are you sharing your cabin with Dexter?

I am done with Sookie since I don't even remember, to be honest. She has such nice moments, like when she had her talk with Arlene's children, then she goes and says what she said to Jessica? What?

This final season seemed so much more promising when it started... The only reasons that keep me watching now are Pam (always the best) and Eric, and, more and more, Lafayette!! Lafayette is stealing the show. I hope he and James end up happy and together.

The best of this episode was the flashback on the birth of Fangtasia. Surprising to see it was all Ginger's idea -- that was pretty clever. I kinda thought Fangtasia had been there for ages somehow. It just seemed older than 2006. Also, it was pretty crazy to see Ginger back then.

I was reminded of Godric during the Lafayette/Jessica conversation. I always felt Godric was depressed and Eric should have taken greater steps to prevent his suicide.

It was cool seeing the Magister-- and Nan last episode. Also, Hoyt thawed my cold heart a little. Jessica and Hoyt were cute together until they weren't.

The Terry/Arlene come to the light scene was hokey, but it was probably the only way to bring Terry back for the final season so I gave it a pass.

It was funny seeing Wila yell at Eric. I wish Tara could have been there to tear into Pam.

The vampire rumble at fangtasia had good special effects as did the Sookie/bullets scene last epi.

Overall, I liked this episode and the last one. I have been over Sookie for a while now. I'm not sure if it is because of her attitude or if it is because everything revolves around her or what. When I stop caring who the heroine's love interest is, then I usually put down a novel or stop watching a TV show. True Blood's plot and side characters became the main draw for me. This maybe why I am enjoying the flashbacks so much.

Also, I was busy last week and didn't get a chance to comment on the previous recap, so I'd like to post this in memorandum of our dear Alcide Herveaux. Werewolf. Former pack leader. Loyal friend. Hottie with abs of steel and buns you want to bite into.
He shall be missed.

It has got to the point with this show that I tune in for a select couple of people (LaLa, Eric, and Pam) and for the loyalty of wanting to see it through to the end. They are doing such an injustice to a lot of characters that have surprised me considering this is the last season. True Blood has always had plenty of WTF moments, but they are pulling things that have me constantly scratching my head. True Blood has been a huge part of my summer for the last couple years and regardless of some less than satisfying episodes, storylines, and missed opportunities, I will greatly miss this show and the characters.

I can't stand the HBO Sookie... Love Lafayette and while I don't ship a love relationship with James, I do like their stoner bonding... I feel bad for Jessica and that shirtless pic of Alcide, bless your heart Stacy!!!)))) I paused and rewound the scene of him shirtless running up the stairs a couple of times and wowsers! I was wishing it was up to my room!) Young Ginger was awesome and when she had her first sighting of Erik it was EPIC!) Loved it! 80's Pam and Erik were like totally hot!

I do really love TB and I miss it already, but they did end it in a bad way.....KILLING BILL? WTF!! And Eric and Ginger DID IT? WHEN...HOW? Neither one of them even dropped their drawers!! I wonder if maybe Eric just glamoured her into believing they did...What do you think? AND, LETTIE MAE...What a BITCH!! If she had of moved her fat ass like Tara said to, Tara wouldnt be dead!! I so wanted that Drunken Bitch dead at the seasons end!! AND TARA FORGAVE HER ALL OF HER B.S.? NOT ME....Tara should have drained that BITCH DRY!! AND SARAH NEWLIN....SHE TOO SHOULD HAVE DIED VERY PAINFULLY!! I also could have done without having to see her STUPID,husbands "BUGS BUNNY" facial expression EVER AGAIN!! WHAT A DAMN DORK HE WAS!! I am also NOT HAPPY with that so called GODLY man Lettie Mae is married to......Willa had no place to go or no body to be with and he kicks her out after all she did for that worthless wife of his....STUPID!! Im not crazy about Nicole, either...if Sam wanted a black woman, he should have stayed after Tara...I like her better and she is MUCH PRETTIER than Nicole!! They really left alot of potential storylines hanging....Andy and Hollys wedding, Adilyn and Wades relationship, Jessica and Hoyts marriage, Eric and Pam reopening Fangtasia, What becomes of Willa, because I really liked her...she was really amazing coming from an SOB like the Gov. And Arlene and Keith? That really could have been an interesting storyline!! Arlene is very nosy but why did she lie about having Hep V? And of course, I would love to see the developement of Lafayette and James relationship, but without seeing them doing it.....GROSS!!! I just think ending a show that good at this stage was a DUMBASS MOVE!! Im gonna miss it terribly, but I already have all 6 seasons on DVD, so that helps...just as soon as they release season 7, I will get it too!!